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Breed Notes - 21 Jun 2011

This last weekend, we made the long (just shy of 600 miles for the round trip) drive to Kelso for the Border Union show, which was giving a first proper opportunity to Carol Turner to judge the breed, some nine years after she was a successful candidate at our club judging seminar. I am not convinced she would have had even this chance had it not been for the dialogue we had with the show organisers. We are very grateful that they put on a judge from our list, even though it would have been much easier for them just to add us to an already contracted judge, as appears to happen most of the time. Please don’t anyone think we don’t try to push our recommended judges, but our secretary, Liz, frequently meets with a blank response to her requests for our list to be used.

Despite our steward, at the end of his tether having done 3 breeds single-handed, berating the exhibitors for being in a mixed sex class, and failing to locate the prize cards, Carol said how much she had enjoyed the experience. She awarded BoB to our Acorn, with Min’s Chief Riever BoS. With work for John on the morrow, we felt we had to forego appearing in group….apologies all round. It was really good to see Craig and Sarah Hosie at the ringside with their 2 smashing children, although Craig once again had sad news of a further operation for his lovely bitch. Some people get no luck at all. One absentee was our chairman, Gill, because husband Jim is recouperating from an operation. We send them both our very best wishes for a speedy and full recovery, and a resumption of motorhome activities very soon.

Paula Foakes and Merlot have been at it again, this time getting 4th in Novice at a Surrey obedience show. This doesn’t sound very special until you realise that there are up to 60 competitors in each class, the great majority of those being border collies and working sheepdogs. Well done, the pair of you. We hope to be meeting up with Paula and Merlot at Maggie’s Training Day on July 23rd (details on the club website), and maybe we’ll be able to have a demonstration of their skills. The KC have sent us a box of goodies in relation to rescue, and we shall be doing a bit of fundraising there with them. Thank you, KC.

Sad news has reached us that Deanna Crick has lost her wonderful Brogue at the good age of 14. I believe that life was becoming too uncomfortable for him, and Deanna took that last loving decision that is so hard, but it is such a blessing that we can do that for our old friends when the time comes. Our sympathies go out to Deanna. We shall all miss Brogue (Vindael Devlin), who was ever the dog equivalent of the perfect gentleman, and was successful well into the veteran classes.
Latest news!!! As I was writing these notes, the phone rang with an excited Steve Shone giving me the news that Rhea’s scan had shown positive, and she is expecting puppies in a month’s time. Congratulations to all concerned. One way and another, this will be a very precious litter, and if hard work and effort are duly rewarded, a very nice one too.